On Some Problems of Sanitary Conditions in Verkhneudinsk in the Last Quarter of the 19th Century

Urban reform of 1870 entrusted the care of improvement of towns, including their sanitary conditions, on the local government. It was a complex and important task. Sanitary condition of Siberian cities at the end of the 19th century caused a deep concern both of society and authorities. The elected municipal bodies - city council and Dumas, in conjunction with the forces of law and order, health professionals and members of the judiciary had to solve complex problems to improve sanitary conditions in the cities. On the Verkhneudinsk example the author revealed typical sanitary problems of Siberian cities - dumps, pollution of ground and surface water, poor quality of urban space of life support, absence of special services for garbage collection and sanitation. By analyzing the GARD documents, the author seeks to comprehend the health problems of Verkhneudinsk in historical context of 1970s and highlights the value of mainstreaming social and personal care and reforming municipal government in Russia for the formation of a new political culture and civic consciousness. Documents which formed the source base of this article are introduced in the scientific revolution for the first time.